Foreign teachers in Abu Dhabi must be licensed in home country

Expat teachers in Abu Dhabi have been warned they must hold a teaching licence issued in their home country before working in the UAE capital.

The rules apply to teachers, vice principals, principals and cluster managers working in public and private schools, reported The National.

“It is anticipated that the licensing system will be implemented in the first half of 2017,” said the National Qualifications Authority (NQA). “The new system will be implemented gradually over five years, such that all teachers will be licensed by 2021 in line with the requirements of the UAE National Agenda.”

The NQA has previously said that a pilot phase of the programme, expected to last about six months, would involve about 750 teachers and would begin this academic year.

Dr Al Abri said Adec recruited its foreign staff only from countries that licensed teachers. To be considered for a job in a public school, candidates must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5, he said. Expats must have at least two years of teaching experience. Emirati teachers can be hired without prior experience but must meet all other criteria.